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Crystal Fiona Rio is 2021 Miss Earth NMI
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Posted on Sep 20 2021
2021 Miss Earth Northern Marianas Crystal Fiona Rio, center, shares a photo with 2020 Miss Earth Northern Marianas Maria Lael Terlaje, right of Rio, and 2021 Miss Earth-Air Sue Ann Huevos, left of Rio, at the end of the Miss Earth Northern Marianas Pageant that was held last Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan Ballroom. Also pictured is pageant judge and managing director for the Marianas Visitors Authority Priscilla Iakopo and TanHoldings chief executive officer Jerry Tan. (JOSHUA SANTOS)
Eighteen-year-old Northern Marianas College student Crystal Fiona Rio is Miss Earth Northern Marianas, and will be representing the CNMI at this year’s Miss Earth competition.
Also awarded last Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan Ballroom was first runner-up and Miss Earth-Air Sue Ann Huevos; second runner-up and Miss Earth-Water Justine Rain Kirby; and third runner-up and Miss Earth-Fire Stephanie Celine Borja.
The 2021 Miss Earth Northern Marianas beauty pageant—which featured competitions in native costumes, swimsuits, and evening gowns, two question-and-answer portions, and a video tribute for the late 2020 Miss Earth Ecotourism Arianne Cabrera— was organized by Exquisite Productions.
In the final question-and-answer portion of the pageant, Rio was asked, “Among the deserving finalists tonight, why should the judges select you as the 2021 Miss Earth Northern Marianas?” Rio responded, saying that as Miss Earth she will focus on the “small things that make a bigger impact.”
“All of the finalists right now all deserve the crown in some way, and I believe that I deserve the crown because I have so much to give. I am focusing on the smaller things that make a bigger impact. I want to focus on the smaller groups [and] the smaller communities before we move on to the bigger communities to make sure that the impact shows within our environment and our community,” said Rio.
Before last Saturday’s winners were awarded, a tribute video to 2020 Miss Earth Northern Marianas Maria Lael Terlaje was played, and afterward Terlaje took her “Farewell Walk.” After being crowned as 2021 Miss Earth Northern Marianas, Rio took a “Victory Walk.”
Unlike last year’s event, which was held virtually and had no live audience, this year’s pageant was held live, with some videos such as slideshows and a video tribute for Cabrera
